Cessna 172H N3884R

Summary

On 1 April 1992 at about 17:17 local time, a Cessna 172H registered N3884R, operated by Paul M. MOE, was involved in an accident near Browntown, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 April 1992 at 17:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Browntown, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

42.5698, -89.7903

Aircraft

Cessna 172H

Registration

N3884R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paul M. MOE

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monroe → Rochester

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI92FA119

1 person died.

SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE SNOW CONDITIONS, AN INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY BOTH THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR, OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY, INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION, VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE ON BEHALF OF THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN PLANNING TO TAKE HIS LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FOR A NUMBER OF DAYS. ON THE ACCIDENT DATE THE STUDENT OBTAINED A COMPUTER WEATHER BRIEFING. THE WEATHER FOR THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS FORECASTED TO HAVE A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. WEATHER AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS DURING THE TIME OF THE BRIEFING AND PREDEPARTURE DISCUSSION THE STUDENT HAD WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT DEPARTED ON THE SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT DURING VERY LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 10 MINUTES AFTER THE STUDENT DEPARTED ON HIS FLIGHT, THE INSTRUCTOR CALLED HIM ON THE RADIO. THE INSTRUCTOR ASKED THE STUDENT HOW THE WEATHER WAS. THE STUDENT REPLIED THE VISIBILITY WAS THREE MILES. SHORTLY AFTER THIS CONVERSATION THE STUDENT CALLED THE AIRPORT AND STATED HE WAS LOST AND HAVING DIFFICULTY. THE AIRPORT MANAGER, A NON-PILOT, TOLD THE STUDENT TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN AND RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. A GROUND WITNESS STATED HE HEARD AN AIRPLANE FLY OVER HEAD TWO TIMES DURING VERY HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS. DURING THE SECOND PASS THE WITNESS STATED HE HEARD A VACILLATING ENGINE SOUND AND A LOUD CRASH SOUND. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER THE WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE SOUNDS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.